Labyrinth: Revisited
by Ranoko
Summary: Aora must face the Labyrinth to reach her 4 year old sister, who actually is having fun. Jareth tries not to reminisce, and may have finally found an heir. Better summary on profile.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Labyrinth, the characters such as goblins and Jareth, oubliettes, the Labyrinth itself, or any part of it.

Claimer: I DO, however, own Aora, her little sister, their personalities, and the other characters/obstacles that I have come up with. More details in later chapters.

Yes, yet anoter minor change. xp Aren't I wonderful? Sorry...this is why I'm hesitant about posting...

**Random Quote!**

It's not quite paradise

It just looks like home

Not quite paradise

We are not alone

It'll be alright

Though it's not quite

Paradise

-song from Titan A.E. soundtrack

* * *

Chapter One

Jareth inwardly sighed. He had been traversing a lot lately. Frankly, he was a bit tired. It was times like these he was agonizingly aware of his growing lines. But even with all the action, he was still restless, still lacking something. He had tried to figure out what it was, went on with life. Well, the life that he knew. That's why he kept himself busy, why he would think of new tricks and schemes; but it didn't seem to help. He would always be disappointed when someone dared to challenge them. At times though, like now, he would find himself thinking back to a certain girl who had overcome all he'd thrown at her. Taunting him with those eyes that infuriated him so, but yet… Give it time, he mused; all in good time….

A bubble then appeared and whispered to him. He stood up, ridding his mind of _her_. It was time to prepare for another addition.

* * *

Aora was walking home from one job to another. The difference would be that instead of stocking up shelf after shelf and pricing various items to be sold, she would be watching her little sister. She wore regular jeans with a green shirt trimmed with a light teal color. The robe-like sleeves hung loosely on her arms, and around her waist was tied a black jacket. Her back-length midnight-black 'waves' bobbed in time with her step.

Suddenly, a bookstore caught her eye to her far left on the other side of the street. She turned and, seeing the oncoming light red, dashed across the street and inside. She looked around and wondered what she might be able to afford with what little money she carried with her. She appraised the bookshop with her green eyes, then approached a free-standing bookshelf, which stood just above her shoulders. On the top, almost at eye level, was a small script-looking book. It looked a bit old, but still held its regality. She lifted her hand and brushed over the slightly worn cover. She thought she could feel… something radiating from it; drawing her in… "May I help you?" Aora blinked and drew back quickly. She had unconsciously been starting to lean forward. "May I help you?" The woman's voice asked again, maybe containing t he slightest twitch of worry. Aora turned to look at the woman behind the register. "Oh; I was just looking at this book," She paused to look at the name, "Labyrinth." "Oh." The woman's voice instantly changed, and now held slight annoyance, as if it wasn't worth her time. Aora picked up the little book, looking for the price. She didn't want to be late getting back home; especially for stopping at a bookstore. Her affinity for books was well known, and was one of the reasons she tried to not carry too much money with her. She knew the book would be good enough to buy before reading the summary. If it even had one anyway. She couldn't seem to find a price, though. "Um, excuse me, but-" "It's five bucks." The lady said before she could finish, using the same uninterested tone as before. Aora quickly handed over a $10 and waited for change. "Thank you for your purchase; I should warn you though. You won't get a refund when you bring it back." Aora looked at her quizzically, but was already putting the change in her purse. "Is it that bad?" "I don't know; I've just heard it's cursed." "Well, I don't think a book itself can be cursed;" Aora said as she threw the book in a long with the money, "it just depends on what you do with it." And with that she left the quaint shop, running back across the street, a car narrowly missing her. She shrugged on the black jacket that, after a few years, was still a little big on her. A chilly breeze was starting up. She smiled silently, happy with her purchase, and not wanting to wait to crack the 'cursed' book open.

Aora opened the door to home and dropped her key-strap right off. "Hey, I'm home!" She called out. The large staircase going upstairs loomed before her, and her mom popped her head out from the kitchen beside the staircase. "You were almost late again, Ari-dear. And pick up those keys if you don't mind." She said, hands full with earrings and purse. "I know." Aora said as she knelt, picked up the keys, and rolled her eyes. "But I'm home, aren't I?" She met her mother halfway to the doorway. "Steve's getting the car warmed up." She said as her mom fixed some final touches on her hair in the hall mirror. "Now, you sure that you will be fine with babysitting your sister for the whole weekend?" She asked for the tenth time. "Yes, we'll be fine. I have no plans; we can have a 'sister day' or something…" Or whatever it is you call it, she thought. "Alright then. Love you Ari-dear! Your sister's up in her room playing with her dolls." Her mom walked briskly out the door. She had already guessed as much when she heard the tell-tale booms and crashes of 'Barbie Battles' from above. Her sister had such a strange imagination. Aora waved as her mom and her new boyfriend drove off for a 'weekend getaway'. She closed the door and made a silent victory-punch as she came back in, heading to the kitchen to get something to eat. She briefly grabbed a bowl and poured out some goldfish crackers, also putting some in a small Ziploc bag for later. She stuffed the bag into her jacket pocket, and took the bowl upstairs, stopping by her room to drop off her schoolbag.

She headed into her sister's room. **"Halt!" **Said a voice trying to be deep and commanding, but not succeeding, "Who dares enter the scene of war?" "First-commander Aora, bringing provisions for the troops!" "You may enter." She sat herself down by her 4-year-old sister, avoiding the strewn legos that had once been land mines and bombs and the 'casualties' here and there. The oriental heritage that manifested itself in her family had strangely decided to skip her sister, so she was always the oddball in the family. Of course, even if she had looked 'normal', her interests would have singled her out anyway. "So, what's the fuss about this time?" "Sandy told Jenna that she couldn't play dress-up anymore because she was too old for such things. So Jenna declared war." Aora popped a goldfish in her mouth. "That seems pretty harsh." "They both apologized, though, so they're done fighting." Was the goldfish-filled reply. "I'm gonna make us some dinner in a bit; what do you want?" "Uhh…pizza!" "Take-out?" The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "Alright…" Aora said, trying to sound convincing, "but you'll miss out on some good mac&cheese…" "Mac&cheese! Mac&cheese! Mac&cheese!" She chanted, enthralled with the new option. "Ok. I'll call when it's ready." Aora said as she got up and left. Her sister grabbed another handful of goldfish and looked out the window. It was getting dark, and it looked like some ominous clouds were heading in.

* * *

It wasn't like Jareth wasn't busy enough lately. To the contrary, it seemed as if the infamous words had found new life in the months past. He passed a new goblin(a tiny boy once) as he was finding his place among his new relatives. But winning seemed not to hold quite as much thrill for him anymore, like something was missing. Of course, it may have been that people were more easily turned away now. Not many turned down his petty offers of forgetfulness. He tempted abnormally persistent ones with bits of worldly chattels. Some even bargained; usually for a thing called 'money', of which (once described to him) he could produce quite easily. Humans loved it so. Disgusted him really. Those that did hold out and entered never seemed to get very far in his Labyrinth. Which was a good thing, he reminded himself. Less bothersome complaints to listen to. Giving up was so much easier than going on. His goblin army had grown rapidly as a result. He passed by his throne, aimlessly watching the goblins' stupid antics. And thus far the increased numbers hadn't let to any smarter goblins. Yet, in the last week, callings had dropped dramatically, and so he was forced to endure longer and longer spells of waiting. He glanced down a hallway, and his eyes caught on a door for an instant. It had already been two years… But he averted his gaze quickly. No sooner had he done so than a goblin jumped up from the rock it had been situated on, shrieking. The new goblin was cackling hysterically. He had lit a small fire under the other's rock, and the pain had finally become too much to bear. The goblin had shown comprehension of a semi-complex thought. Perhaps there was a trace of hope that he'd find and heir yet. The goblin suddenly fell over backwards, landing himself almost on the fire. He ran around trying to put out the fire on his pitiful clothes. Alas, then again…

* * *

The pair had just finished their meal and were on their way back up the stairs. Aora ruffled her sister's smooth brown hair a little. "It's getting darker out; why don't you go get ready for bed?" Her sister stuck out her lower lip objectively. "But mom is gone." "Exactly; which means you have to listen to me. Now go on and clear the war zone; I'm gonna come and check it in a while and I'd like to be able to see the floor." "Who says I _have_ to listen to you?" "I say so." Aora said, then added, emerald eyes twinkling, "And if you don't I'll send you far far away and you'll never come back."(just for effect) She sighed dejectedly and went to her room. "And that doesn't mean put them in little piles, Sarah!" Aora called back before going to her own room to read.

Aora had started the book while walking home earlier, as she couldn't wait until later to begin. She was currently so engrossed in it that she didn't bother with time. Before she knew it, two and a half hours had already passed by in an instant. She glared at the clock, as if it should have told her that it was moving. She was closing in on the end, and she looked at the pages pathetically. But she knew she still had her sister to watch after and make sure she didn't destroy the entire house, so she regretfully closed the book; but tucked it into her jacket.

She stole quickly to Sarah's room and peeked inside. What she saw was slightly disappointing, but somewhat expected. Sarah was sitting on her bed with her shoes off, fighting to stay awake but losing. About half of the room had been cleaned up, which must have been around the time she had realized Aora wasn't coming anytime soon. She was still in her play-clothes. She also seemed to be expecting Aora to come in and make her clean better, judging by the toy gun drooping in her hands. Aora slowly opened the door and came in. Sarah lifted her head a little, her grip tightening on the plastic. Aora walked down the path that had been cleared to her sister's bed and started lifting the sheets. "I'm not gonna clean my room.." Sarah muttered weakly, moving the gun slightly. "That's fine," Aora replied smoothly, "you can finish once you've slept." "But I'm not tired." She protested as Aora picked her up a bit to move the sheets from under her to over her. Her voice had risen, but still held the uncertainty of sleepy stupor. Aora 'mm-hmm'-ed distractedly, obviously not believing her as she brought the sheets up. "I'm not!" she moaned loudly, starting to twist and squirm. "Just go to sleep…" Aora said, her voice hinting irritance. The last thing she wanted was for Sarah to launch into a fit of an inner battle of will; her body was exhausted, but she was too stubborn to admit it, even to herself. Aora slowly started moving back the way she had come. The soft rumble of distant thunder echoed. As of yet the rain hadn't reached them yet; but it would come. Sarah's complaints rose more to a cry. "I don't want to!!" Aora continued on growing more frustrated with her sister. Why couldn't she just go to sleep and leave her alone? Why did she have to make her problem the whole world's problem by screaming it out incomprehensively? Sarah hadn't quite reached that extreme yet, and Aora was hoping she would fall asleep or at least calm down. But those hopes were shattered once she turned the lights off, and Sarah's voice topped off at a high pitch that burned her ears. Aora slammed the door behind her and stood in the hall for a second. Sarah's screams muffled slightly, also lowering as her breath ran short. "I wish the goblins would come and take you away." Aora muttered. The screams came back in full force as a new breath had renewed their strength. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Right now." She breathed the words slowly.

She then began storming off to her room; but the room behind her had suddenly gone strangely quiet. Usually Sarah's tantrums lasted at least five minutes, yet not even 30 seconds had passed and the house was still. She turned around and opened the door again. It was dark. A little moonlight struggled to enter the large window by the bed, as the clouds were racing to smother it. A thought then struck her and she rushed to the bedside. The only reason she could think of why Sarah had stopped so abruptly was-

But as she threw back the sheets, her fears of finding Sarah blue in the face were immediately replaced by larger ones. _Sarah wasn't there._

End Chapter

* * *

The first chapter ends! **_DUN DUN DUN!!!_**

Of course, it's not really a cliffhanger...you most likely know what's going to happen if you even know what this story is based on. Heck, it's not even really a very interesting chapter. But it's a start, and introductions are important. Sorry if it seems boring; I hope the rest will improve your outlook of this story. I really hope so. _\crosses fingers/_

This is one of my first attempts at an actual long-ish story. I hope it doesn't seem too monotonous; I'm trying to put in lots of detail. If not all seems right, just wait; it should 'correct' itself. (or at least make more sense) Though, if it's a typo or something, please let me know. I originally had stars(astriks or whatever they're called) and stuff to make it look nice or more interesting, but I'm finding that those don't transfer to _\sad/_ (the same reason I'm using_ \ /_ for actions here...)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will read more of my writings! Or maybe just R&R...that would be really nice! I would be so happy if you did! _\puppy eyes/_ ..Please??...

I have cookies...

(and muffins)

Thank you for your time!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the ideas of the Goblin King or teh Labyrinth itself.

Claimer: I do own Aora, her sister, and some later ideas in the story. The lines are also my invention. Mostly.

**RANDOM QUOTE!!**

Tomorrow's an illusion

and yesterday's a dream

Today is a solution

but you gotta learn to breathe

And if you're looking for the answer

it's right before your eyes

- same song from Titan A.E. soundtrack

* * *

Chapter Two

Aora was staring at Sarah's empty sheets. She didn't know how long she stood there; it may have been hours or only a second, but a cold wind brought her back and forced her to turn around. The window was open, letting the cold, moist air rush inside. "I thought I closed that…" She murmured as she reached out to shut it, slightly delirious with panic. However, an owl flew in before she could get a chance, and she recoiled as it fluttered past. Something caught her eye, and she swiftly turned about. But it was gone. She heard a snicker from the chair beside her and whipped her head to glare at it, but it looked normal. She glared anyway. More minute laughs followed, taunting her.

"Looking for something?" A voice asked. It was a soothing tone, but it didn't diminish Aora's tension. She turned again, staring into the darkness the owl had disappeared into. Out of the shadows emerged a figure that, previous to this night, she might not have even guessed existed. His blonde hair was tousled about his shoulders, the nape of his black cape curled upwards. His creamy shirt was made to look ruffled around the large v-neck that seemed to go half-way down his front, and his khaki-colored pants tapered near the foot as his fanciful black boots came up over them. As she looked at him longer, she realized that under his cape was a waistcoat, and he wore leathery gloves which finished the illusion of fluidly black arms and hands. Under his shirt was suspended a golden medallion, which glimmered in the bit of light from the hall that managed to creep in, and was created into an interesting shape. She was surprised she could see him so well. She had often read in dim light, which her mother said would damage her eyes. But it seemed to be helping her now; or maybe she was just hallucinating. A haunting melody seemed to float about his aura; it sounded eerily familiar, but she knew it was new to her. He also put off the same mysterious energy the book had earlier, trying to draw her closer. All of this was thrown at her senses in an instant, and she felt overloaded for a moment. She blinked and shook her head, clearing her mind to answer. "My sister…" She fought to keep her voice calm and she looked at his gloves. "My sister's missing." "Are you sure about that?" Aora, in a moment of panicked confusion, hastily looked back at the bed. It was still empty. The stranger chuckled. "What-" Then Aora looked at his face. He wore a cool, coy smile that played wit his lips, and his eyes held some slight amusement. Also superiority. There was something else, she knew, behind it all; but just what she couldn't place. At that moment something struck her; she finally realized who this man was. She could only think of one thing: Oh. Flick.

"So, you're the Goblin King." He courteously bowed. "Jareth, please; at your service." She tried to set her face. "I want my sister back." "Words are like leaves; once fallen, they can't be taken back. Besides, I thought this was what you wanted? The house all to yourself; no pesky little monster around to bother you." He took a step or two closer to her. She averted her gaze; she had to. His eyes were too piercing, like they saw right through her. And, she realized, they had a twinge of something in the back…emptiness, it seemed… "I know, and believe me she can be annoying at times. But she's my sister." She surprised herself. How could she talk so at-ease when she felt so up-tight? She concluded that it was just another effect he had on people; she refused to think it was just her he influenced. There was no explanation for him, so why should there be reason to his aura? "Aora," his voice was more firm now, "forget about your sister. Go on with your life without her, free of obstruction. There's no hope." "There's always hope." She said, more confidently than she felt. He sneered, seemingly disgusted. Or appalled. Or maybe she was misinterpreting him all-together. "You'd like to think that wouldn't you…" She was usually pretty good a guessing or reading emotions, but he was different. Very much so.

She looked up and in his hands saw a crystal ball that certainly hadn't been there before. "What is it?" Aora asked, curious. "It can be anything and everything." He twirled it around his hand, her eyes trying to follow. Before she realized it, it had changed into a rectangular object. He held it out flat on his palm. "It can be knowledge." He covered the book with his other hand, then drew it back. As he turned over his hand, she saw a bird cradled in it. "Or it can be freedom." He cupped his other hand over it, shielding the bird from view. He then unfolded his top hand, almost like the blooming of a flower, and revealed the crystal orb again. But inside of it were swirling masses of color, glittering almost. It reminded her of a galaxy, no, many galaxies. "It could be _eternity_." He lifted it on his finger tips, then popped it up. He somehow caught it in-between his crossed arms and made it bob and weave through intertwining circles around his hands. It slid up to his shoulder, slowed, and rounded his head. When it came out the other side, it was a large tarantella. He lifted a hand to it and let the creature crawl onto it. "And it can also be fear." He eyed the tarantella thoughtfully. "The choice is yours. But you should remember;" He looked up briefly, seemingly to intimidate her. Or perhaps just evaluating her. "All choices have consequences." He tossed the spider up carelessly, and it landed on her head. She shook her head violently, reaching up and swatting at her head. It had turned into a small cardboard box as it fell off her head, and upon hitting the ground upside-down, something under it made it scuttle away. She continued to breathe heavily for a short while, and she heard hooting laughter around her. She glanced up at Jareth and detected something almost like boredom; like he had done the trick one too many times for it to be even remotely funny anymore.

"I want my sister." Aora repeated, this time with a slight tremor in her voice. She chided herself. Why did she let him seem so powerful? Surely she must be loosing some of her resolve. "You know where she is." Jareth replied, re-establishing his calm mask, void of any detectable emotion. Except maybe arrogance. She nodded, hoping that her words would come out right. "And there's a way to her." He looked, no, stared at her. Not in surprise; expectancy…just stared. It made her uncomfortable. "You just have yet to show it to me." His eyes narrowed the slightest, and he gestured towards the window with the top of a cane that must have slipped her notice before. She wasn't sure if she trusted herself to look away, in case this was all a dream, but she turned her gaze over.

She involuntarily gasped a bit. She had just been reading about it, but words were nothing to compare to the real thing. The Labyrinth lay out before her, spreading in all directions to the horizon and, she felt, beyond. It seemed to hold many colors captive, but before she could identify them they would disappear. A sun was beginning to rise, illuminating the twisting mammoth so that it seemed to glow. Her eyes gleamed as her mind was already analyzing and studying the millions of unfathomably intricate turns and angles, trying to make some sense of it all. She had always been fond of puzzles. The castle stood in the center of it all, looking regal and defiant. It commanded her to fear and respect it, yet something else lay hidden among the others. Something like… neglect.

"What do you think?" Jareth asked, noting her awe. She almost didn't' register he had spoken to her, though she did notice that they were now standing on a hill overlooking the maze. "It's beautiful…" She whispered. He smirked. "Thank you." She brought herself out of her trance, silently reprimanding herself. Why should she honor him with a compliment? He was already aloof enough without her help. Though, if that was the case, it wouldn't really matter what she said, now would it? It _was_ an amazing accomplishment after all… She shook her head again. Now was not the time to argue with herself. "That is your challenge, Aora. Think you can face it?" Her heart sank slightly at the realization, but then rose again with the prospect of a new puzzle to master. She had to find her sister; that was indisputable. She might as well try to enjoy the experience while she had the chance. "I will." She said, not directly answering his question. "That's too bad." He answered, not nearly as convincingly as he might once have. She turned to find him to her right, his gaze cast out across the Labyrinth. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch him, to see if he was real. Of course, if none of this was real, she didn't want to stop it. This was practically a dream-come-true for her; she was in a fantastical place that couldn't possibly exist with a puzzle in front of her she knew would make her think. Aside from the fact that her sister was being held hostage, this was a great opportunity.

If only that infernal energy would quit trying to draw her in! The Labyrinth itself was also giving off the energy, but it was so far and Jareth was closer, and therefore the pull was stronger. That music playing in the back of her head wasn't helping. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something. How about that mysterious feeling behind his eyes that she couldn't place earlier? She had guessed at emptiness…a loss of some sort? And how was she going to solve this Labyrinth…

In the few seconds it took her to go through her thoughts, she heard a clock chiming. She opened her eyes and looked towards the sound. It _was_ a clock making it; it just didn't look like any clock she had seen before; almost like a part of the tree it was sitting on. And next to it was Jareth. She furrowed her eyebrows and glanced back to where he'd been not more than a few moments ago, not sure where to expect him. But he stayed where he was. "You will have 13 hours to solve my Labyrinth;" He said, sounding bored already(again), "or your sister will be with us for the rest of eternity." He almost winced with the word 'eternity'. Aora looked back to the castle, trying to memorize its position, though she knew it wouldn't really help. "I'll get there, Sarah." She murmured, hardly audible to even herself. When she turned back, he was gone. The flapping of wings drew her attention upwards, and she saw a white owl flying off.

"Well, I should get started." She walked to the edge of the hill and nearly fell off. It was steep. Really steep. She tried walking down, but almost fell over within the first step. "Ok… walking doesn't work…" Then she had an idea. She zipped up her coat, put the hood up, and started sitting. She then remembered the goldfish bag, and brought it out. She placed it under her chin, where she knew it wouldn't get crushed in the action she was about to take. "Now, how to go about starting…" She thought for a moment, then carefully got back up. "Here goes nothing." She held the goldfish in her hand as she took a deliberate two steps forward, then jumped into the air ahead of her. She quickly tucked into a ball, slipping the small snack bag back under her chin as she ducked her head into her knees, and held tight. She hit the ground hard, but she held fast to herself. The incline, as she had guessed, was so steep that she rolled down it with not extra effort. There were small rocks and things in her path, but her jeans and jacket provided adequate protection. As she tumbled on down, she began to enjoy the speed and thrill of her improvised mode of transportation. All too soon, or so she thought, she felt the incline end. However, her speed didn't decrease. She hadn't bothered to think about how to stop. She could feel herself smiling nonetheless. Suddenly, she rammed into something, knocking whatever it was over, and sending them both tumbling for a few more feet.

End Chapter

* * *

Yeah, once again, another boring-ish chapter comes to an end. Trust me, it'll get better!

I hope...meh.

Sorry I can't get them out as fast as I write them, but I change things too much! Ah, the curse that is perfectionism...

Anyway, that was chapter two for you. What did she run into? Or rather..._who_? Heh...you'll just have to wait and see!

I would also really appriciate feedback of any kind! Compliments welcome, critiques highly valued!!

\offers muffin platter/ You know you want one...

Thank you for your time!

Ja


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the original characters from the movie!

Claimer: I _do_ own Aora, her sister, and some ideas in this story. Including some obstacles later. -

**RANDOM QUOTE!!**

If you haven't tried it

you really should because

these things are fun

and fun is good.

- Dr. Suess

* * *

Chapter Three

They skidded to a stop after a few seconds, landing a foot or two apart. Aora was sprawled out on the ground; dizzy, unstable, and laughing her head off. She couldn't tell the ground from the sky, or which way either was pointing. She loved it. "I wish you would tell me what's so funny!" declared an indignant voice beside her. It sounded slightly scratchy, and seemed to change pitch every so often. She tried to quiet her laughter a bit, blinked hard, and turned her head towards the source. What looked like a little man, with some wrinkles about, was trying to get up. As her world was still spinning a bit, Aora brought one hand to her head and closed her eyes again. She was finally able to stop laughing, and reopened her eyes. She was satisfied that she could tell up from down, and started getting up herself. "Here I am, mindin' me own business, when some raunchy young-" he was muttering. "_Excuse _me," she interrupted, "but I'm not _raunchy_. I'm just… creative." "Well then be creative somewhere else!" She could now see that he was clad in a vest with various knick-knacks on it, a small parcel that one might use for costume jewelry, a white long sleeve under the vest, breeches(on the baggy side), and shoes. "I'm sorry for falling into you." She said, trying to sound sincere. "I had no idea anyone was down here." He started walking away, waving his hand at her as if to shoo her off. She moved the goldfish, which had fallen down her shirt, back to her jacket.

She then started brushing herself off, dust and brush coming off in bunches, when something stuck itself into her left pinky. She retracted her hand swiftly, sucking in air through her teeth in surprise. "Ow! ...Stupid weeds…" He glanced back and saw her reach for the end of a long and pointy barb. "No!" She stopped. "You'll never get it out that-a way!" he said, turning back. "You gots to pull it from as close to the skin as possible. It'll break off and fester otherwise…" She pinched it close to her skin and pulled; it easily came out, leaving a small puncture wound that oozed blood. She threw the weed off to the side and licked her finger. "Thanks…what's your name?" "It's Hoggle." He remarked absently as he started off again, assuming he had done his good deed for the day. "Well, thank you very much Hoggle!" She said, almost too happily. She was known for her optimism at school, though it didn't always win out. She licked her finger again. She felt licking stopped the bleeding quicker than just sticking it in her mouth. "If you'd-a had any sense in you…" But he seemed pleased with the comment.

Aora then noticed the enormous wall to her right. She gaped at the sheer size of it, and felt quite small in comparison. "This must be the Labyrinth," she mused, "or at least the outer wall of it." "Naw, you think?" Was the sarcastic remark. "Come now," she told herself softly, "it's not that daunting…it might be different inside…" She walked up to it and ran her right hand along the stone; it was uneven and covered partially with greenery. "Hoggle?" He didn't reply, but she could see him glance at her out of the corner of her eye. "Do you know how to get into the Labyrinth?" He rolled his eyes. "What do ya want to get in _there_ for?" "Just answer my question, please?" "Maybe…" "Would you show me how to get in?" "No!" "And why not?" "People like you shouldn't go in there;" he wagged his finger like scolding a child, "it's bad enough out here." She sighed, frustrated with him already. "Fine; then I'll have to find my own way in." After a few moments of study, she still couldn't figure one part of the wall from the other. "You sure you won't tell me?" "No!" "Ok…I guess I'll just have to climb over." Aora concluded. She could tell Hoggle's attitude had changed slightly. "Climb?" "Yes, climb." She approached the wall and began searching for toeholds. She may not be able to see the top of the wall, but that could be just an illusion. "What about your finger?" He asked, trying somewhat to find an excuse to keep her down. "It's fine; I've had worse." She began on her journey upwards. She was ascending very slowly, seeing as the walls were a bit slippery, but it was still progress. Once she had reached what she thought to be about 10 or 12 feet off the ground, she could still see what seemed like miles of wall ahead of her. She paused to think. If I really have only 13 hours, she reasoned, then this is no way to get anywhere. She groaned to herself. "You really goin' up there?" She heard Hoggle remark. "Yes. I _will_ get into the Labyrinth; with or without your help!" There was silence for a moment, then, "I _could_ show you the door…" Aora perked up a bit, and replied with a happy, though sarcastic, reply, "And you waited to tell me 'till I was up here?" She came back down, retracing her steps. When she had reached a safe distance or so from below, she jumped. It was a bit farther than she'd anticipated, and when she hit the ground she had to bend her knees, but she didn't fall over at least. Before she wiped her hands on her jeans, she made sure to check for any thorns and such. "So, how do I get inside?" He grudgingly gestured to his left along the wall, and two large gate-like doors apparently decided to show themselves to her. "You mean I was almost on top of them the whole time?!" Despite his slight unease, Hoggle still laughed at her. She glared at him, but it only lasted a split second. She started approaching the doors when something like metal glinted off the ground. She changed her path slightly and kicked off a thin, dirty rug. Under it was a key of enormous size, which she noted fit the doors perfectly. She knew it would be practically impossible to lift, and then she noticed there wasn't even a keyhole in the doors. She smiled and confidently and closed the distance between her and the entrance, then pushed on both sides. Nothing. She pushed again, harder. They didn't budge. She sighed heavily, and then thought of something so simple it almost shamed her. She smiled sheepishly, grabbed hold of two rocks that stuck out more and had small depressions, and pulled. They opened surprisingly easily. "That wasn't' so hard…" She mumbled as she stepped inside.

But on the other side, things didn't look much brighter; on either side of her were two pathways, enclosed by another infinitely high barrier. She tried to see their end, but they seemed to go on forever. Visibility was dim, the walls were so high, and a very few things even attempted to grow. Those that had were slimy, dead, or dying. All in all, it was a depressing place. "Still plan on goin' on?" She jumped a bit; she hadn't noticed Hoggle follow her in. "Yes. Thanks again Hoggle." She wanted to sound hopeful, but dreary misery seemed to force itself upon her from the very depths of the paths before her. He muttered something she couldn't make out, and then left her. She turned one way, then the other. "Now, which way is the right way?" She considered it, then shrugged and turned to her right. "Worth a shot." She started to advance, when she heard the doors slam themselves shut behind her. "No turning back…" and she headed down the path towards the unknown.

* * *

Sarah was used to having strange dreams, and this one was no different. She could see her sister; she was in her room. She was looking for her. Sarah stayed quiet; they must be playing hide-and-seek. But then she saw Aora's face. It was worried, almost scared. Sarah frowned. She was hardly ever worried, much less scared. She started to say something, but then the dream changed. Aora was now on a hill. There was a man by her talking to her. She couldn't tell if he was a friend or not, but Aora looked ok. She walked up to them. "Hey, Aora." She acted like she hadn't heard her. "Aora!" She seemed entranced by something in the distance. Sarah pursed her lips. She then felt a gloved hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw the strange man. "You'll be staying with us for a while." He said, smiling. She turned and tried to find Aora again to ask her something, but she had disappeared. "Where's Aora?" "She'll be away…" Was the only answer. "Where?" "Just away.." She turned back to the man, but now he was gone too. She was alone on the hill, but the voice was still there. It whispered her name. "Sarah…Sarah…" But it didn't quite sound as if he were addressing her. The landscape started melting, almost like candle wax, into blackness. She though she could see him on the far horizon; still smirking a bit, but his eyes distant. She tilted her head like a puppy, not understanding how he could know her name without meaning her. 

However, she then opened her eyes slowly, waking up. Yet the boring ceiling of her room failed to greet her. Instead, she saw a stony conglomeration high above her, and a dull roar started pounding around her. It reminded her of the parties her sister described in her diary. She smiled inwardly. Unknown to Aora, she could already read quite well, and enjoyed raiding her diary during school. Very quickly it grew to a loud mass of indistinguishable yells, bangs, and other noises. She rolled to her side and sat up; the scene which greeted her eyes was just as crazy and blurred as the sounds assaulting her. Goblins were running all around her; some sat, while others chased chickens with metal objects. Still more chased each other, throwing things and tackling repeatedly. She rubbed the remainder of sleep from her eyes and turned, seeing the same almost all around her. But then she saw the man from her dream, minus the cape and coat, sitting on a throne that had what looked like giant animal horns decorating it. He looked vaguely amused. She had no idea that he was thinking briefly about how her sister had looked when he had performed the minor tricks in her room. He hadn't done any 'magic' around a human in a while; it was entertaining to watch them gape in awe. She got up and walked over, dodging all she could, as he was the only remotely familiar thing she could see. As humans, we are drawn to the familiar instinctively. She was oblivious to a posse of goblins that followed behind her and others that watched her intently.

"Hello." she said, announcing her presence over the din around her. He turned his attention from wherever it had been. "Hello there." He smiled. "I'm Jareth." "Where's your cape?" "What cape?" "You had a cape before. And a jacket." "They've been taken care of…" He replied, never loosing that odd smile. His posture hinted curiosity, but she continued unawares. "You were talking with Aora too. Where's she?" An innocent question, he answered carefully. "You like games, don't you?" Sarah nodded. "Well, your sister and I are playing a kind of game." Sarah showed interest. "Can I play?" "Of course. You're practically the raison d'être." He chuckled softly at a joke he'd apparently made. The goblins all stopped what they were doing for an instant, stared stupidly at each other, and burst into laughter as Jareth eyed them expectantly. Sarah didn't get it, but she thought it seemed the laughter was directed at her. She glared at the creepy faces around her and walked off, escaping from the mockery. He watched her go with amusement. "Temper temper…" He turned. "You." The new goblin turned his head. So help me, he thought silently, I can tell the difference between them. "Follow her. Make sure she doesn't…" He thought about it for a moment. What could a little girl possibly do? "Well, just follow her." The goblin grinned manically and ran off.

Sarah wandered down the first empty hall that presented itself. She roamed corridor after corridor until she was hopelessly lost. She presently grew lonely, and tried to find her way back. But her efforts were fruitless, and after a trifle she felt she would sit down and cry if she didn't at least see _somebody_ soon. Unexpectedly, a noise behind her startled her, and she whipped around. Lying on the ground was a goblin. He hurriedly got up, looking at her with shiny eyes. He seemed to have tripped, but she was just happy to know she wasn't the only living thing left on earth. "Hi." She said, wanting to make conversation. His eyes darted about quickly, and he took one step carefully. It was as if he hadn't grown used to his feet yet. She laughed, then looked around as well. "What 'cha lookin' at?" He just stared at her. He seemed to be waiting. She took a step to the side, and then noticed the goblin doing the same. She hesitated, and brought her foot back. He followed suit. She lifted one arm in the air. He lifted his arm. She waved it wildly back and forth; he did the same. She grinned widely and squealed with delight about having found a new game to play. She jumped a few times, watched him copy, then dashed off. He chased her, going a bit slower as he was very clumsy. She turned corner after corner, trying to loose him but not really, just for fun. After about 30 seconds, she grew tired of settling for corners. There were doors all around her, as there must have been since she entered, and she chose one at random. The goblin rounded the corner just in time to catch a glimpse of Sarah shutting the door behind her. He was almost out of breath, but was determined to follow her. He stopped, trying to figure out with the bit of brain he had whether to continue following the girl or report in. He eventually approached the door, opened it, and didn't see her. He swept the room again, and noticed the large full-length round mirror swinging, and then he heard what sounded almost like a dog barking. It made him jump, and decided to go back and report what he'd seen. Now just to find his way back…

The goblin was able to get back to the throne room shockingly quickly. Of course, the yelling, bantering, and crashing emanating from it probably helped. He saw his king rubbing his temples testily as what looked like an unfinished sketch floated in the air behind him. He stared at the image; entranced by the wonders his master was capable of. Then he glanced to his side, and saw one of his comrades sprawled on the floor by the wall, like he'd been thrown. Slightly disappointed he'd missed the show, he advanced towards the throne. "Sire," Jareth lifted his gaze. "The small girl; she's disappeared behind a mirror." He stopped rubbing his head. "What did the mirror look like?" The goblin had to think about that. "It was big…and a circle…and was pretty plain." He raised an eyebrow. That little girl had managed to fine the _one_ hidden passageway in the whole castle that actually let to outside. Maybe there would be more to this capture than expected. The goblin hurriedly moved as Jareth got up and left the room, overdramatically putting his cape on as he walked. At the last moment before he disappeared from sight, he flicked his hand out, like he was brushing something away. The bronze-colored-glowing design hanging in midair disintegrated and fell like ash to the floor, but vanished before reaching it. The goblins watched their master go, then returned to their activities and aggravations.

Sarah was currently sliding down a large shaft, in complete darkness, having no idea where she was or was headed; but she was still having fun. She had found a mirror that opened and stepped inside. But after the first few steps, she had yelped in surprise as the ground had sharply moved from under her feet and she'd found herself tumbling down a very steep and smooth incline. There were quite a few turns, although she never touched the let side. From her perspective, though, there didn't seem to be one. She had straightened herself out to where she was upright again, and continued to gain speed. She was beginning to enjoy the exhilaration when suddenly a light began forming itself ahead of her. In a second the path seemed to flatten off, which slowed her somewhat, and she reached the light. She popped out, still with enough speed that she flew for a second and bounced on the ground before skidding to a stop. She just sat for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the sudden light assaulting her optics and her body getting used to not moving anymore. After regaining her bearings, she turned and looked at where she had come out. The stones on the castle had reconfigured themselves into a sort-of doorway, though it appeared sideways. She fancied she saw a staircase turned on its side on the left wall, the part she'd never hit. But stairs couldn't go sideways. Could they? She happened to glance upwards, and was transfixed. The room in which she must have been in towered above her, so high she could barely make out the edges of the window she had glimpsed before falling in. She dragged her gawking stare away, getting up from the dirt. When she stepped forward, however, she literally ran into something.

"Hello again." She looked to one side slowly, already recognizing the voice. "Umm…hi." She tried to sound normal, as if she were caught coming out of a secret door everyday. She avoided Jareth's eyes, knowing she would be greeted with that same fake smile that she found eerie. "And what are _you_ doing here?" "..Nothin'…" She risked a glance at him, and didn't see that smile that she thought was ever-present on his face. His expression was seemingly soft, but yet quite set. Also disapproving. "Nothing? Really…" She missed it, but what seemed like annoyance flickered across his face for an instant, then was gone. He knelt so he was at eye-level with her, trapping her with his gaze. "I said we were playing a game, didn't I?" She nodded. "Well that game entails you staying with me, or at least inside of the castle." She still looked hesitant. "It's not like I…_meant_ to come down here…" She fidgeted with her fingers. "It was sort-of an…_accident_…" "Let's head back, then, shall we?" He returned to his regular posture, holding himself with an air of grace and intelligence he held superior to all others. He looked down at her tiny figure, which looked undecided. Almost. He tried to think of one last enticement to win her over. He was never very good or tolerant of children, but he knew she would be easier to keep close if she trusted him, if only slightly. When her sister failed, she might make an interesting goblin, or at least more so than the same bunch he'd been stuck with for so long. No other child had previously attempted to escape, even if by accident, and certainly no other had succeeded. He wasn't about to start slacking. "Come, I'll show you something once we're back." Her eyes lit up with curiosity. "What?!" "It's…a surprise." She couldn't contain her eagerness. "What is it??!" "It wouldn't' be much of a surprise if I told you, now, would it?" He offered his hand, which she took. He waved his free hand in a small circle centering from his wrist, making some fleeting motions with his fingers. Sarah had a strange feeling in her stomach, and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She felt like she was spinning every which way in an instant, and then heard the sounds of earlier. She opened her eyes to find herself back in the throne room. Jareth quickly released her hand and subconsciously rubbed it on his cape, which he then threw to the side. He was rather unused to mutual contact of any kind. He began walking off, and the little girl skipped after him. "Can I see it now??" "Patience is a virtue, my dear child." He was curious to see how far Aora had gotten

* * *

Whilst Sarah had been getting herself lost in the castle, Aora had been running down the never-ending corridor. She was now reduced to merely jogging, and her breath was coming a bit faster. "I guess it's a good thing I'm a fairly good athlete…" She reflected on to herself. She felt like she'd been running forever, yet hadn't gotten anywhere. The feeling of being pulled in was strong when she had first entered, and she had touched the walls once. But once was enough, and she had recoiled as she felt the slime and unevenness of it, and her hand had been stained green on the tips. She had wiped it off on her jeans, which now came across as having grass stains, but her hand still smelled rotten. The pull she had gotten used to and now barely noticed it. She finally stopped running, but was panting and growing more frustrated by the minute. Why did she have to get so angry so easily? If not for her temper, she wouldn't even be in this Labyrinth! Of course, she silently argued, if it really was as complicated as it let on; there were no turns in sight, or even a stairway. She tried to think. She was good at puzzles, and she knew it. But she could usually look at them from above as well, seeing all the different possibilities. "Now…if I was making a Labyrinth, what would my first obstacle be?" She toed a loose rock in thought, kicking it harder after a few seconds. "Oh, I can't think in this miserable place!" She kicked the rock again, making it fly towards the wall. However, it didn't bounce back. She stopped fuming and started to where it had landed. Almost seemed like it had gone _through_ the wall… She reached out her hand cautiously, none too anxious to feel the disturbing walls again. But there weren't any there; it was an entry to another passageway! Aora smiled. "I guess my short fuse _is_ good for something…sometimes…" She then recognized the first challenge (more or less): things are not always what they seem. "A lot of things have seemed to be other things lately… but that doesn't necessarily mean that they _are_ that way…" 

Now, which way to go? Once again confronted with that bothersome decision. She looked to her right; the path looked practically the exact same as the one she'd just left, and the energy seemed to pull her that way, and (she thought) maybe getting stronger as she went. The other way didn't have the same push towards it, but it looked to have turns and different ways to go and held a bit more appeal to her. She decided on the latter, and walked off; pleased with herself. Before she had even taken two steps, though, she tripped over her own feet and fell over. She hit with a thud, shielding her face. She quickly got up and looked around. She brushed herself nonchalantly, and laughed softly momentarily before heading off once again.

Unknown to Aora, after she had left a little bug-eyed worm came out of the wall in the passage left behind. "What's all this then?" He said, a bit groggily. He looked up and down the way but saw nothing, as usual. "..An earthquake now? ..Nah…" He muttered something about the walls 'fixen' themselves again' as he crawled back into his home.

End Chapter

* * *

Alo again! 

Sorry I took so long to update! I've had this chapter ready to post since...well, since the others came out honestly. But I was lazy and didn't even get it on fanfiction till a few days ago. I have more ready, but yet not ready...hm. Oh well.

If you have the time and patience, please leave me a comment; critical, complimental, or otherwise!

Thank you for your time!

\hands muffin/


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the things part of/in it. Though I wish I did.

Claimer: I _do_ own Aora, her sister, and some obstacles later in this story. Though not all of them. I do write the lines on my own though...with some idea help from the movie, obviously.

Anyway, let us begin the story!

**RANDOM QUOTE!!**

Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful.

Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path.

You know you will never get to the end of the journey.

But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.

-Sir Winston Churchill

* * *

Chapter Four

Aora had chosen at random the path to go when she reached forks, but she soon began feeling as if she were going in circles. She then got into the pattern of taking first a right, then a left, then repeat; so as to alternate her settings. Whenever she reached a staircase, she happily ascended or descended it. She had also noticed that gradually the walls had shortened themselves to a reasonable height, greatly increasing the light, which reduced the dankness and helped improve her disposition. Soon it was like she was merely wandering around a poorly-kept stone maze that a rich person might keep at the back of their home to look nice. The prospect she'd had in mind at the beginning continued to tempt her until she willingly paused and clambered up the wall. Once on top, she found she could see around much easier, and could better assess her position. "This is a nice change." She then looked more out and saw the castle, still small in her view. Aora focused her mind and set her face. If she were to make up all the time she'd spent finding her way here (or was it really that long at all?), she'd have to get moving faster. She couldn't ever seem to move fast enough by her expectations, but of course, one can never go quick enough when one is trying to get somewhere very badly. Surveying around her, she was able to move faster it seemed, but she didn't _feel_ any closer to the castle. On her next step, she hit air and was just able to catch herself, after uttering a small cry, from falling the six feet for so from the ground. She found her breath, then looked up again. She jolted; she was in a totally different place! She was _positive_ that that statue had been over there; and that weed over there. When she glimpsed down again to measure where her next step would be so as not to fall, there was wall ahead to walk on! She _knew_ that wasn't right. "What in the world is going on here!"

"That depends on which world you're talkin' about, now don't it?" Aora turned and looked down to her left; there were two guards looking at her with their heads twisted to the side and up. She came down off the wall so that they wouldn't have to inconvenience themselves with looking two ways at once. It was good to be polite, even in this place. She also saw that, though they were guards, they were a peculiar pair of guards. They both carried large and bulky shields, which must have been heavy, and both shields had bizarre symbols and marks all over them. One shield was half red, the other blue, and the second half of both seemed to just be a bronze metal. They reminded her quite a bit of cards, such as from Alice in Wonderland. Or perhaps it was Through the Looking Glass? "Of course she means this world, nitwit!" "Well how do you know? She didn't specify." The blue one retorted. "Ah well." The red one dismissed the reply. "Hey, she's right in front of us, so why not ask her?" She angled her glance downward and saw, with some slight astonishment, that there were heads poking out from under the shields as well. She shrugged and dismissed it under their growing list of oddities, however; quickly getting over her surprise. The red under-head had said the previous comment. "Splendid idea, old chap!" The blue under-head exclaimed. "What is?" Red upper-head asked. Thinking of them as Red up and Blue down and such seemed impractical, so Aora decided to give them acronymic names in her mind. B.U. for Blue under-head, B.O. for Blue over-head; and R.U. and R.O. for their counterparts. "I don't know; I can't remember!" B.O. finished as they all burst into laughter.

"Excuse me," she interrupted as politely as she could, "are those doors behind you?" "Well they ain't windows." R.U. acknowledged. "If they were, we'd be turned around, wouldn't we?" B.U. put in, somewhat inquisitively. "We might." R.O. nodded somberly, "We might indeed." "But that would also depend on which side people might be comin' from." B.O. added thoughtfully. Seeing as another conversation could ensue, Aora tried to get back on track. "I'm trying to reach the castle." "Oh, that's a new one." R.U. injected sarcastically. "Do either of these doors go that direction?" She finished. "Aye, one of these doors does," B.O. permitted, "but the other leads to-" "certain death." R.U. accented. Strangely, the words had hardly any effect on her. "Which leads to the castle?" She asked B.U., who shook his head. "Sorry;" he said. "Can't tell you." R.U. alternated. "They can," B.U. continue, pointing up, which to him would be down, but directions seemed of trivial matter here. "but they might not." "At least not directly." R.U. threw in. Aora looked up to R.O. and B.O.'s eye-level and opened her mouth to talk, but was cut off. "Aaahhh!" R.O. held out, "You can only ask one of us." "Can I ask one of you, wait a bit, and then ask the other?" She asked matter-of-factly. "It'd be practically the same, since how there'd be time between the question." R.O. and B.O. looked at each other for a moment. "Uuuhhh…." R.O. looked at his shield, as if consulting it, before answering. "No…no, I don't think you can." "Even if it's the same question?" "'Fraid not." B.O. said, "Rules and all, ya know?" He tapped a portion of his shield knowingly. "But I'll have you know that there's a catch." R.O. stated quickly. Of course; there always was, wasn't there? "One of us always lies, and the other always tells the truth. I'm the truth-teller." "You're not, I am, you liar!" B.O. countered, almost playfully. R.O. gasped theatrically. "Oooohhh, how you can lie so!" "Do not!"

Aora knew she had heard this one before. She just couldn't seem to remember the _one_ question that would be a sure-fire winner. Of course, now that she thought of it, it had been one of them that had told her that they were a liar and a truth-teller; so if it was the truth-teller who had told her they were that way she'd have the truth one already. But if it was the liar, then… Oh, she didn't have time to be thinking so long! She had to reach the castle as quickly as possible, even if reckless action had to be taken now and again. She approached R.O., who was at her right. She spoke carefully. "If…I asked him," she waved in B.O.'s general direction, who in turn tilted his head slightly, "if his door led to the castle, what would he say? Yes or no." They both looked blank for a second, conversed with each other in hushed tones, then apparently reached a conclusion. "No." R.O said, a trifle hesitantly. "Then his door leads the way I want to go." "How're you so certain?" "Because if you're telling me that he would say no, and you're right, he would be lying and it would therefore be true." "And if he was lying?" B.O. contradicted. "Then there's only one other answer, which would still lead me to that door." B.O. moved out of her way as she drew nearer. "But how can you be sure?" Aora sighed; though with something like regret. "I don't have time to be sure." She stepped inside the now-open door and took a few tentative steps. "Hey…I asked more-"

But they never found out what she asked more of or for because the heavy door slammed itself shut, both blocking the sound of her voice and covering it with a loud metallic '_bam!_' The resounding echo cut off any remnant of voice. Blue moved back. "Hey, you think anyone will ever figure out that we're both liars?" B.O. asked generally. Blue and Red looked at each other for a minute, then shook their heads and said "Naaaahhh." They followed up with a fresh burst of laughter.

The slamming door cut Aora off mid-sentence, also making her freeze in split-second surprise. It subsided an instant later, and she realized that she was standing on a soft surface. She glanced down and saw that she was now standing on sand. She looked up and saw now that the walls around her deteriorated into nothing after a few feet, and what lay beyond caused her to groan aloud in dismay. An enormous expanse of sand was set out, reminding her of what she imagined deserts to look like when she was younger. It did have hills, or rather dunes, but she knew that they were only temporary; the wind would pick up the sand and move it at will, creating dunes over some time. The wind wasn't blowing currently, but the sun above beat down unrelentingly and scorched the barren plain. Aora could already feel the heat from the semi-protected place she stood. She had taken her jacket off earlier, for which she was thankful for now, and put it over her head. It was almost like a bonnet, as she wasn't truly experienced in staying cool, though she had tried for more of a turban. She took a hopefully-tension-relieving breath and set out, determined _not_ to waste any more time gawking at the amazing Labyrinth. She expected to have little luck with that, though; once she got out of the desert. She could see the castle off in the distance and tried to aim for it constantly, as there was nothing else to tell direction by and she wasn't particularly fond of the idea of walking in circles.

With nothing much to do whilst trudging through seemingly endless sand, she found herself thinking as to how this had all started. She had been left in charge, a guardian for her little sister. But she had become absorbed in her new book, and her temper had helped her to quickly get angry with Sarah for something she couldn't really help; it was simply her age. She then wondered what had caused the Goblin King to come and take Sarah away. Yes, she had wished for Sarah to be taken, though not with the same wording as the book. But she had been so into the book that she slightly felt part of it, and so honestly believed, with some small bit of her, that something really _would_ happen; _hoped_ that something would. However, when it did… "How could I have been so blindly stupid?!" Curse her enrapturement with stories! Even so, it was that that enabled her to at least somewhat enjoy the marvelous Labyrinth; though at the moment she felt like an egg trying to be boiled, baked, and fried all at once. She wiped perspiration from her brow. "I wonder how Sarah's doing…" Was she scared? Probably not…knowing her, she'd be trying to organize the goblins into militias and having them wage war against each other. Aora smiled. Sarah could be a violent little child. "I doubt she's having much luck…"

Before she could continue her thought, however, her foot got stuck. She stopped to try and pull it out, assuming she'd just run it into a rise in the sand; but then her other foot started sinking as well. She looked round about her and noticed the sand surrounding her rolling towards her, seemingly trying to bury her. After a second of thought (as she was distracted by other thoughts), she realized that she was sinking and it hit home what she was sinking in: quicksand. She at first tried to move out of the pit, but she had no idea where it started or stopped, and the movements only made her sink faster. She froze and tried to remember something she'd heard once in passing about quicksand. Something like…she should try to float? But that wouldn't really work for her; she floated like a rock. No matter how long she had practiced, she had enough trouble just keeping her head above water. About the only place she expected to be successful was maybe the Dead Sea. The sand was a little above her knees now, so she sighed and began lying down. She might as well try it; she had nothing to loose. She couldn't find any traction what so ever, so she more fell back than anything. She spread herself out as best she could, bending backwards more than laying, but the sand continued to encircle her, almost looking to go faster now. Aora started to panic; what was she thinking?! Lying down would only make her sink faster! She jerked her arms, getting her torso upright again, but only in time to see sand rise above her hips. She frantically looked around to see something to grab onto, anything would do! But the only thing she saw was sand and more sand. She ripped her jacket off her head thinking it might help in some way. But she could think of nothing, and quickly tied it back round her head like a headband, trying not to waste any time. If floating wouldn't work, maybe swimming would. She started into a breaststroke, and for an instant she thought she had it worked out. But she had taken too long in planning, and when she tried to move her legs they wouldn't' budge. She tried again, clenching her teeth; she moved them _maybe_ half an inch, if that. It didn't' feel like much at any rate, and the sand now held her arms captive. She was gasping; from panic, exertion, and the heat. She closed her eyes and in a final effort to do something wrenched her arms free from the sand, practically using all of her energy. The sand was fast approaching her chest, and she did the only thing she could think of. She turned her jacket so that the long bulk covered her face, pressed it against her face, and took a few deep breaths. If she couldn't get out, she should try to protect her face so that she might be able to somewhat breathe for a while. She felt the sand reach her neckline and closed her eyes, trying to slow her breathing. In some small part of her mind, she thought there would be a way to escape, appearing at the last moment to save her. But she knew that the chances of that were so slim it wasn't worth thinking of. However, she still hoped that that bit was right; she hoped for a miracle. "I'm sorry Sarah." Aora whispered before the sand rose up and over her head.

Aora had been holding her breath for a few seconds, the sand pressing her jacket onto her features, and she continued to be pulled down. She didn't know if holding her breath would help at all, but it had felt right at the time. She still had plenty of air, but she started letting it out though her nose very slowly, finally slowing her heart a touch. She was still going down, and her jacket seemed to provide a sufficient barrier for 'clean' air. Suddenly, she stopped moving for a moment and her panic from earlier started returning. Was she just going to set there until she ran out of air??

But it was short-lived, whereas she felt a sudden shift in the sand beneath her and she felt it begin to give out. Before she knew it she was falling, the surrounding sand seeming to disintegrate. She immediately threw her arms around her head as a thunderous crashing cacophony hit her, engulfing her senses in a menagerie of confusing vibrations and collisions. After a second of mid-air flight she landed on a hill of what felt like more sand, and could feel hefty objects falling beside her. She kept her eyes closed and stayed completely still. The large bulks eventually stopped falling, and only some sand continued to fall on her, though even it was trickling to a stop. She heard echoes of the event slowly fading until it was almost quiet.

She cautiously opened her eyes and saw utter darkness. But she could feel herself, and she could apparently breathe. She thrust her hands triumphantly into the air above her and tossed her head back. **"YES!!"** she proclaimed, more to herself than to anything in particular, "I'm alive!!" She smiled despite the fact that she still couldn't see anything, and started getting up, She knew due to the length of her fall that she had no worry of reaching the roof. Inching her way down the sand hill, she eventually reached a sand/dirt floor of sorts. She stood upright and stretched, glad to have some room again. But as she started to take a step, her foot caught on some protruding surface and tripped her; she sprawled over whatever it was and bounced a little bit. She let herself lie for a moment, exasperated with her clumsiness. What was under her was straight and felt like old wood, though still quite sturdy. While she rested there, she noticed that it was nice and cool there.

* * *

Jareth spotted Aora lying in an old oubliette, exhausted. His eyebrow faintly twitched. An oubliette? Nobody had gotten that far in quite a while. Though before had been quicker… His eye softly gleamed. It faded quickly however, and he thought of something simple to throw her off track; he sent off a signal for Skern to go and lead her through passageways made to confuse and then loose her, making things much harder. She was guaranteed never to come out in time. 

After the oaf Hoggle had betrayed him, he had needed to find a new 'undercover' minion. Skern had appeared then, and things had been going quite smoothly since. Skern had proved his loyalty numerous times, though only interested in personal gain. Sometimes the passerby offered something to him, but fear kept him in line; along with the almost-guarantee of doubling any offer he received. His needs were quite trivial to meet; he took pleasure in shiny objects, reminding Jareth of a crow.

He glanced to the side and observed the little girl, having grown bored with waiting, attempting to organize some goblins into ranks and pit them against each other. The latter part accomplished itself without any needed help, but the first… The goblins didn't really know or care much about ranking; they just followed his orders, and _only_ his orders. She was quite determined, though, and he soon found himself intrigued by her strategy. Finally having found a slightly new entertainment, he contented himself to sit back and watch strange scenes unfold before him.

* * *

Aora hadn't really realized how much she had sweat up in the desert until now; her long shirt was clinging to her and her jeans felt constricting. Her extensive hair was a burden, but she didn't feel the strength to reach back and move it. Her jacket was still in the grip of one of her hands, though only barely. The slightly stale, yet still refreshing air felt pleasant; the openness allowed her to relax. She started to enjoy her position, and began to doze off. It made sense to her; she was quite weary, and how could there possibly be any way she could escape the depths of this black…pit? She didn't really care. Something whispered to her in the back of her mind, soothing and enticing. Her hand twitched involuntarily, letting it slide off the straight edge. A soft click sounded, unrenowned to her. All she needed was the calmness, the cool breeze, and… 

Wait, breeze? She brought herself back, forcing her eyes at least to open somewhat. Even the process of thinking caused her to struggle, raising her mind out of the muddled thoughts and fading dreams. When she was finally able to open her eyes, she found that a bit of light was seeping out from the object under her, allowing extremely low visibility. Ahead of her, there was a smooth rock wall, with hardly any over-hangings or outcroppings.

_What does it matter?_ Something in her crooned, _You can just close your eyes and fade away into the bliss of nothingness…_She shook her head.(well, more like wobbled) She mustn't think of such things. She mustered the energy to sit up, then turned around, blinking a few times both to adjust to the bit of light she had now and to try focusing better. She was slowly able to make out the hill of sand not too far from her, seeing that it was piled about five feet or so high. Dust particles were highlighted as they floated by the shafts of dim light, and there seemed to be quite a bit of the powder. She could vaguely tell where the side walls were, assuming that they were the same as the wall she'd first 'seen'. The other end of the sand-mound was too dark to distinguish anything, as was the ceiling. However, she was barely able to see the edges of what may well have been large boulders. As her mind became clearer, she felt the strange feeling of numbness and insensitivity fading. She began to stand up and move off the board, or wood of some kind, and she tried to think of where the light was coming from. As she brushed herself off for at least the fifth time that day, she realized how close she had come to giving up and letting herself fall asleep; who knows if she would have ever woken up. She shuddered. One could practically forget oneself in this place.

Getting back to the problem at hand, her first inclination was sunlight. "No…I'm underground. That couldn't be it." It was too strong and steady to be candlelight, but she didn't think it possible for it to be electric. "Well, only one way to find out…" She whispered, her voice sounding wrong in the dark stillness around her. She pulled the wood from one side, hoping that it would open easily. It did, and she peered in. But what she saw didn't make any sense; a long, rectangular room, but set on end. It seemed more of a hole in the ground, but things that she couldn't seem to see clearly were on the sidewall closest to her. She shook her head and looked again, but some of the unknown melancholy of earlier still lingered in her and kept her from being able to truly focus. She stole a quick glance around her once more before deciding what to do. "Can't really get much worse…" She mumbled before she jumped feet-first into the doorway. The door fell shut behind her.

She expected, of course, to fall to the 'bottom', and braced herself. However, she was barely within the door when she stopped moving. She hadn't hit anything; she was simply…weightless. A moment later though, gravity returned with its full force, but from a different direction. She unexpectedly fell flat on her back onto the side, which was now apparently the floor. As she tried to get her bearings straight, she wondered why it had suddenly changed. Oh well. She now felt as if she were in a long rectangular room, simply because she was; she was just now on the 'right' side. Gravity kept one's center of balance orthodox. She didn't' feel as if she were being held up on the side by something because gravity had changed, so it was no longer the side. She sat up and, feeling no pull 'down'-ward, arose.

The door behind her completely forgotten, Aora gazed around her. Large stone-fountains, each slightly different than the other, filled the room; which was brightly illuminated by some unknown source. At a glance, they seemed to be placed haphazardly everywhere, but when observed closer there seemed to be an arrangement of some kind. Had she looked more carefully she would have seen a faint path weaving its way through them, but she was too distracted by the water fountains. They all had different levels flowing into each other, and at the top was always a spinning crystal. Some fountains had ornate carvings that worked themselves into the essence of the flowing waters, while some had so many levels that it was hard to tell where the water flowed. The surfaces were most always smooth and prefect; hardly ever interrupted by ripples. As she passed them, she thought she could see images reflected in the water. One had a dreary and plain scene in it, while another had a sparkling forest. Many more surrounded her, but she could not always place what was shown. One of the fountains caught her interest, and she drifted towards it. It was a simple fountain, yet elegant. It had four levels, one on top of the other; each smaller as it ascended. The carvings were basic, but still beautiful. The water moved smoothly, and lush greenery accented the vision. She couldn't see it very clearly, but once she stole a look at the crystal on top she could see much better. In the crystal was a more generalized version, or so she thought, of what was being displayed on the water, but with more clarity. As she stared longer and deeper she felt that she was looking at more than just an image; like it might actually be real. "Of course, 'real' doesn't really mean anything here…" She boldly reached out to grab the orb, wanting to inspect it closer. But as soon as her fingers brushed the crystal, she vanished.

* * *

A low creaking noise in the oubliette on the far side of the sand pile echoed eerily in the empty space. A scrawny little figure, only about 3 to 4 feet high, slinked in. Its eyes, used to the murkiness of being underground, could see fairly well in the gloom. It scanned the area, darting from place to place. The girl should have been easy to find. Even if she had attempted to bury herself, it could have found her. But after five or ten minutes of searching and still having found nothing, it muttered something and left the same way it had entered.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

The end of another wonderful chapter! That was quite an adventure, wasn't it? Well, at least for little Sarah it was. Let's hope Jareth doesn't loose patience with her...otherwise, the way the story's going could be changed quite dramatically...Or would it? 

Yet again, please R&R if you have the time, patience, or kindness to do so. Or if you just wanna let me know how badly I write. Either works._ \holds plate of temptingly delicious-smelling cookies/_

I look forward to writing and posting more often! If I can...

Thank you for your time!


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